I believe the TAB is handled by the states in Australia. I think there are seperate pools depending on where you live. NSW-TAB for the Sydney area, then either Uni-Tab or Super Tab for the other parts of OZ. I do not know about the books. At Harold Park there were only 4 books they night I was there.At the T-Breds(or the Gallops as they call them down under) there were at least 10.

I frequented the TAB shops while sightseeing/shopping etc;Some decent bars etc;A good time.My only complaint, no Meadowlands.

i am from new zealand been here for 5 years if u want to see something amazing go to a track in sydney call canterbury bankstown its great u wouldnt think driveing down the street that there was horses in the town every trainer has a barn in there back yard peter walsh is from there. they jog there horses down the main streets to get to track and even stop at traffic lights! u have to see it to beleive it

The bookies have to pay a fee, a % of their earnings to the club. The tote was formerly owned by the states, with one big pool, now there's 3 private companies owning the tab's (tote) for different states. This in effect has killed the game a bit, as gambling prices are much shorter as the money in the pool is not that much as it would be combined. This is the main reason for the deciline here in Aus for racing. As less and less people stop gambling less money goes to the track.

Playing the bookies Vs Tote game is fun. All about timing, and $. Yes the bookies odds are fixed, so the price you bet on is your price, so in effect you can shop around for prices. With the tote, the amount of last minute bets, and possibilities of big money bets, could see your horses prices fall very short (due to the ownership and not one big pool). So you got to predict what prices the tote will hold Vs the bookies prices. With the bookies you also see where big bets go to, so if one bookie has a short price compared to the others, this may mean greater interest for that horse, or possibly an owner or trainer or atleast someone in the know dropped big money on the horse. This allows you to get on the horse at a decent price whether at the tote or the bookies.

I found it entertaining.Horses parked the mile was the norm.Horses going three wide at the half just to end up first over.It was fun!!

All races have 3 wide horses, for the final lap, which makes for tight racing, but ita difficult on the long bends and short straights to win, but if its a top horse they'll come.

My father was recognised as a aggressive driver, which meant he always fought for get to the 1-1. As one of our top horses liked racing in the breeze, or at the back, the horse would panic in the pack. That factor probably stopped the horse from being a awesome horse rather than a top horse.

The bookies have to pay a fee, a % of their earnings to the club. The tote was formerly owned by the states, with one big pool, now there's 3 private companies owning the tab's (tote) for different states. This in effect has killed the game a bit, as gambling prices are much shorter as the money in the pool is not that much as it would be combined. This is the main reason for the deciline here in Aus for racing. As less and less people stop gambling less money goes to the track.

Playing the bookies Vs Tote game is fun. All about timing, and $. Yes the bookies odds are fixed, so the price you bet on is your price, so in effect you can shop around for prices. With the tote, the amount of last minute bets, and possibilities of big money bets, could see your horses prices fall very short (due to the ownership and not one big pool). So you got to predict what prices the tote will hold Vs the bookies prices. With the bookies you also see where big bets go to, so if one bookie has a short price compared to the others, this may mean greater interest for that horse, or possibly an owner or trainer or atleast someone in the know dropped big money on the horse. This allows you to get on the horse at a decent price whether at the tote or the bookies.

Since we don't have legal books in the US or Canada, it's impossible for them to "hold fixed bets."

As for the price differences among the mutuel pool and bookies, if a particular book were to find his position to be significantly out of line with the mutuel pool, might he not "lay off" some of his book into the pool in order to hedge his book?

Actually after seeing some of the down under races there isnt "alot" of movement in the fields in mid race. In our races from the Big M there is alot more action in the first second and final quarters. If we went any further than a mile the horses would be walking the last quarter.

Actually after seeing some of the down under races there isnt "alot" of movement in the fields in mid race. In our races from the Big M there is alot more action in the first second and final quarters. If we went any further than a mile the horses would be walking the last quarter.

I've heard about the "gear" in America, heard it will fet the best out of horses.

Yeah in 2800m or even a 2200m race you can't battle all the way. Plus if the speed is good, you wont have too many movement as that would mean a 3 wide run at speed, not the easiest thing to do.

Stayer races test who's the best, also wouldn't there be horses better suited to the longer distances? The top horses here race and win in all distances, it would a good test to see whos the best American stayer.

I've heard about the "gear" in America, heard it will fet the best out of horses.

Yeah in 2800m or even a 2200m race you can't battle all the way. Plus if the speed is good, you wont have too many movement as that would mean a 3 wide run at speed, not the easiest thing to do.

Stayer races test who's the best, also wouldn't there be horses better suited to the longer distances? The top horses here race and win in all distances, it would a good test to see whos the best American stayer.

Races longer than a 1 1/4 (2000m) are pretty much unheard of. I can think of maybe 2 or 3 that happened all of last year.

Races longer than a 1 1/4 (2000m) are pretty much unheard of. I can think of maybe 2 or 3 that happened all of last year.

That said, probably 99.9% of the races run are one mile (1609m).

Best,EW

I reakon you should have like a staying tournament, decent money and the novelty of it will attract a few people. Have qualification rounds of 2 heats and then a final. Have 1 heat at 2200m, another at 2900m and then the final 2500m.I'm sure there are many horses born for distance, and i'm sure if trained well the horses will make the distance. If speed is slowed down it would make for a brilliant last quarter to the race.

I reakon you should have like a staying tournament, decent money and the novelty of it will attract a few people. Have qualification rounds of 2 heats and then a final. Have 1 heat at 2200m, another at 2900m and then the final 2500m.I'm sure there are many horses born for distance, and i'm sure if trained well the horses will make the distance. If speed is slowed down it would make for a brilliant last quarter to the race.

It's a novel idea, but I really don't think the money is there. You could do it for cheaper horses (who just want to run for an increased purse), but as far as attracting class horses -- I'm not sure it's possible.

Cal-Expo had a two mile race for 3000 claimers last summer. It was quite interesting.

It's a novel idea, but I really don't think the money is there. You could do it for cheaper horses (who just want to run for an increased purse), but as far as attracting class horses -- I'm not sure it's possible.

Cal-Expo had a two mile race for 3000 claimers last summer. It was quite interesting.

Best,EW

As I recall, there was a series for trotters a few years ago at the Meadowlands which had the races at various distances. I think it was dropped for lack of interest on the part of both the horsemen and the bettors.

I'm looking at a 1999 Globe Derby Park program (South Australian Racing Club) and, as a "center fold," there are photo strips taken "at the bell" and at the finish. What position in the race is "at the bell?" It doesn't look like the start. Is the "treble" our pick-three? Also, are "barriers" the same as our post positions?

I'm looking at a 1999 Globe Derby Park program (South Australian Racing Club) and, as a "center fold," there are photo strips taken "at the bell" and at the finish. What position in the race is "at the bell?" It doesn't look like the start. Is the "treble" our pick-three? Also, are "barriers" the same as our post positions?

I'm looking at a 1999 Globe Derby Park program (South Australian Racing Club) and, as a "center fold," there are photo strips taken "at the bell" and at the finish. What position in the race is "at the bell?" It doesn't look like the start. Is the "treble" our pick-three? Also, are "barriers" the same as our post positions?

haha, Globe Derby is my home track. Yeah the bell is one lap to go as EW guessed. At the bell its around 800m (half mile) to go at Globe Derby. Is your pick 3 our trifecta. Treble is picking the winners of the 3 listed races. Now they do 4 races. We also have the first 4 where you pick the first 4 horses to cross the line.

Here are the last 800m (at the bell) for the Interdominion heats, another set of heats in a few hours time, the final next week. All 1800m heats these 3. Interdominion is the biggest race in the Australasian horness racing.

Bee Good Johnny's victory virtually against Blacks a Fake. The two best horses in Australia, last quarter 26.6, track record mile rate at 1.54.7 http://www.harness.org.au/video/sa/YDM03010701.wmvWhat we didn't see was the work be good johnny had to do. Also with blakes a fake starting at barrier 9 (Second row 1).Best race i've ever witnessed live.

Second best race i've ever witnessed was the earlier heat in terms of the finish the best finish i've seen, the other race gets up being the best because of the 26.6 final quarter, this one they came in at 1.54.8 which set a new track record. Winforu with a great run but Tribute in the 1-1 gets over Karloo Mick who worked to get to the front but got crossed. http://www.harness.org.au/video/sa/YDM03010707.wmv

haha, Globe Derby is my home track. Yeah the bell is one lap to go as EW guessed. At the bell its around 800m (half mile) to go at Globe Derby. Is your pick 3 our trifecta. Treble is picking the winners of the 3 listed races. Now they do 4 races. We also have the first 4 where you pick the first 4 horses to cross the line.

Our trifecta is the first three horses in a single race.Our pick three is the winners of three consecutive races.I am enjoying the races you're sending.I am looking at being in Sydney mid-February.Hopefully we can trade info and I'll have a fighting chance reading your past performances.

Here are the last 800m (at the bell) for the Interdominion heats, another set of heats in a few hours time, the final next week. All 1800m heats these 3. Interdominion is the biggest race in the Australasian horness racing.

Bee Good Johnny's victory virtually against Blacks a Fake. The two best horses in Australia, last quarter 26.6, track record mile rate at 1.54.7 http://www.harness.org.au/video/sa/YDM03010701.wmvWhat we didn't see was the work be good johnny had to do. Also with blakes a fake starting at barrier 9 (Second row 1).Best race i've ever witnessed live.

Second best race i've ever witnessed was the earlier heat in terms of the finish the best finish i've seen, the other race gets up being the best because of the 26.6 final quarter, this one they came in at 1.54.8 which set a new track record. Winforu with a great run but Tribute in the 1-1 gets over Karloo Mick who worked to get to the front but got crossed. http://www.harness.org.au/video/sa/YDM03010707.wmv

I had a punt last night for you guys - Cams Fool, came second at good odds, but i didn't put the each way bet. Apparently the horse ran 1.50.00 mile in America as a 3 year old before being brought to Aus.

I had a punt last night for you guys - Cams Fool, came second at good odds, but i didn't put the each way bet. Apparently the horse ran 1.50.00 mile in America as a 3 year old before being brought to Aus.

He hasn't done too well down there. I guess he got sick after the ship, or at least that's what they've said. To my knowledge, he's coming back up here.

He was okay as a three-year-old. If I remember correctly, he had a couple tough trips in major stake action. Was a second-string 3yo in his barn (Snyder owned him, right?).